Talking ‘Ninjak Vs. Roku’ With AJ Ampadu And Emilano Correa

A mercenary and an assassin go to Greece. What happens when they get there is up to writer AJ Ampadeu and artist Emilano Correa to reveal when Ninjak Vs. Roku starts this month. With letters by Marina Leon, find out more about the series (and maybe even conjecture about the color of Ninjak’s underwear) in the following interview with Ampadeu and Correa:

Rachel Bellwoar: How long have you been a fan of the Valiant Universe and who was the character that introduced you to the world?

AJ Ampadu: As a teenager in the ’90s, I encountered the Valiant Universe for the first time. The cover of Turok the Dinosaur Hunter #1 left a lasting impression on me, but ultimately, Rai and the Future Force became my favorite. The Valiant Universe appealed to me because its characters felt more original and grounded in the real world. I appreciated the uniqueness of the universe.

Emilano Correa: A few years ago, some illustration caught my attention. There I saw a bunch of characters from Valiant and immediately wanted to know more about them. One of them was Bloodshot due to his aspect, however I truly wanted to learn more about X-O Manowar and Ninjak.

Bellwoar: This isn’t Ninjak’s first Vs. series. How are the stakes in Ninjak Vs. Roku different from Ninjak Vs. The Valiant Universe? 

Ampadu: As I understand it, Ninjak Vs. The Valiant Universe was a standalone story outside the main Valiant Universe continuity. On the other hand, Ninjak Vs. Roku is part of the main Valiant continuity as well as a component of the “Road to Resurgence” storyline that is interconnected with other Valiant books.

Correa: I believe that AJ Ampadu’s touch is the key to this answer. He knows so well the characters that he manages to take advantage of this not only to show their abilities, but also the problematic relation that exists between them and that has a direct influence on the path this story will take and their future interactions. So we can see the result of a writer who loves these characters and knows exactly what to do when they’re face to face.

Bellwoar: Ninjak and Roku being enemies isn’t uncharted territory. They have a lot of history together. Was that one of the daunting aspects of writing and drawing this first issue – having to decide how much to deal with continuity?

Ampadu: This is an excellent question. My main challenge was to make their conflict feel both significant and interesting, while also staying true to their shared history. Valiant is currently experiencing a resurgence, and our goal is to attract new readers while still honoring the existing ones. I wanted this story to be a starting point for new readers while also connecting to the established continuity. I aimed to introduce fresh ideas while also highlighting important historical moments that new readers might not be familiar with.

Correa: I always want the readers to feel that the creative team respects them and seeks to bring a good story for them. Continuity is important but is also key to keep the reader interested, providing fresh stories to avoid monotony. I think the biggest challenge for both writer and artist is to keep the reader hooked and always wanting more.

Bellwoar: Were there any creators’ past runs that helped inspire your takes on the characters?

Ampadu: I’ve reread every appearance of Ninjak and Roku since the 2012 reboot. Matt Kindt‘s Weaponeer run was a significant starting point for me, and everything developed from that run.

Correa: Although I usually look for references in all types of works related to the story and the characters I am going to work with to soak up information and concepts, in this case I try to stay fresh. Also the redesign of the main character gave me more freedom to find my own construction of the character and the environments.

Bellwoar: Issue one, at least, is told from Ninjak’s point of view. Did you always want to tell this story from his perspective? 

Ampadu: Another great question. This series belongs to Ninjak as much as it does to Roku. You will have entire issues from her perspective. At one point, there was even a discussion about changing the name to “Roku vs. Ninjak.” I made a strong effort to balance both characters’ perspectives equally.

Correa: Yes, I loved this. As I said I love the character and I was very excited to draw him when they told me and telling the story from his point of view was a plus.

Bellwoar: The last thing you expect to see under scuba gear is a purple ninja suit. How quickly did you settle on that first image to reintroduce readers to Ninjak?

Ampadu: Purple is Ninjak’s signature color. He probably wears purple underwear. I think the color is important for establishing his brand. I believe that the color purple is associated with royalty, which could also relate to Ninjak’s British heritage and upbringing in high society.

Correa: I was a bit nervous as it’d be the first time we see Ninjak in his new suit. However I tried to draw him the way a fan would like to see him emerging from water in a simple but effective way. It couldn’t be an extremely spectacular scene as he was in stealth mode.

Bellwoar: What was it like getting to choreograph action sequences around hair being a major weapon?

Ampadu: Difficult, honestly. People have unique relationships with hair and it is a peculiar thing to make a weapon. I experimented with different ideas and I realized that there were a lot of things you could do with hair. The idea is that Roku is lethal in multiple ways, hair being just one of them. In issue #3 there’s a very interesting hair-related set piece that I think fans will get a kick out of.

Correa: That was really interesting since I had never done it before. It was a challenge, but I like taking these risks, it’s always good to learn something new. And this shows that when you want to carry out an action sequence up, even hair is a good resource, you just need a good narrative.

Bellwoar: What’s been the best part about working on a series populated with superspies and mercenaries?

Ampadu: Superheroes typically avoid killing, but Ninjak and Roku don’t hesitate to take lives when necessary. While Superman and Batman refrain from lethal force, Ninjak doesn’t mind using it to save the world. On the other hand, Roku, being an assassin, sees murder as her business and enjoys it. Writing mercenaries is honestly just more fun!

Correa: It’s the best, I really like the concepts of spies, ninjas, mercenaries, etc. There are so many good ways to work them. They are interesting characters within an even more interesting universe, I felt very comfortable with this project and I would like to be able to continue working on this title in the future.

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, AJ and Emilano!

Ninjak vs. Roku #1 is on sale now from Valiant Comics and Alien Books.